The COVID-19 pandemic had been the “basis” of the Comelec’s preparations for the 2022 elections, according to its spokesperson.
The spokesperson of the Commission on Elections on Friday said that the COVID-19 pandemic had been the “basis” of the Comelec’s preparations — which was already ongoing — for the May 2022 elections.
This, as Director James Jimenez said in an interview on GMA Network’s Dobol B sa News TV that what the Comelec was preparing was the conduct of the May 2022 elections while there’s a pandemic.
“As far as the Comelec is concerned, given na na by 2022 ay may pandemya pa rin“, Jimenez said.
Jimenez also said that the pandemic was the basis of the Commission’s preparation, which they need to be careful because during the election in 2022, there’s a pandemic and in fact the Commission expected that there’s no effective distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.
When asked to elaborate his statement, Jimenez said that the poll body was eyeing to expand the alternative voting method — the filing of certificate of candidacy be done online — and requiring voters to wear face masks and face shields.
READ ALSO: Comelec ‘Don’t See A Need’ To Postpone 2022 Elections Amid Pandemic
During the budget hearing, Comelec executive director Bartolome Sinocruz Jr. said that they’re looking into conducting the May 2022 elections for two to three days in order to minimize the number of voters flocking voting precincts if the COVID-19 pandemic was still ongoing by that time.
Sinocruz also said that the Commission was also considering the use of covered courts and large gymnasiums as voting centers instead of small classrooms.
Moreover, the poll body was eyeing to procure more vote-counting machines (VCMs) in order to improve the “800 voters per machine ratio” during the 2019 midterm elections.
As a response to Deputy Majority Leader Mikey Arroyo’s statement on considering the postponement of the May 2022 elections because of safety and health concerns amid the pandemic, Jimenez said that the Commission didn’t see a need to postpone the May 2022 elections amid pandemic.
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